Ferrari will on Sunday unveil a subtly altered livery for its 2007 formula one car.
Team members, including drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, gave a hint about the paint job when they appeared at Ferrari’s traditional pre-season winter event in the Italian alps this week wearing new casual team wear.
Noting that the McLaren-bound Vodafone logos have now gone, observers also remarked that the most obvious difference compared to 2006 is the stronger presence of the colour white.
Some reports even suggest that Ferrari’s shade of red may now be even brighter and more orange-like than before, in deference to Marlboro.
And, although the team’s commercial arrangement with tobacco company Phillip Morris is just two years into a new five year agreement, the only other apparent references to the Marlboro brand are a new red and white barcode-style logo alongside the familiar Prancing Horse.
With Ferrari the only team in pitlane still receiving funds from a tobacco backer, it is understood that the simple barcode – as well as the stronger presence of white and Marlboro-red – will be Marlboro’s way of circumnavigating the European ban on tobacco advertising in formula one.
Asked at Madonna di Campiglio about Ferrari’s unseen livery for 2007, sporting director Stefano Domenicali said: “Because of the agreement with Phillip Morris, the livery could look a little different.”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
